When Lem and I walked into the band room half the band was gathered around Jack What’s Jack up to now Lem asked Who knows But I was about to find out Excuse me please I said Comin through Watch it Kori Neal Jack said You can’t just plow your way through here with your raggedy old case Hey Jack Cassilly III I’m just tryin to get to my chair But when I got closer to my seat I saw why everybody was gathered around Jack In his hands was the shiniest most perfectly gold trombone I’d ever seen In my whole life Jack must’ve noticed me staring Impressive isn’t it My parents special ordered it He held the mouthpiece up to his lips then and a lock of blond hair fell across one of his blue eyes He looked like he was posing for an ad in some band instrument catalog That was Jack 8
Mr Perfect Perfect hair Perfect family And now perfect trombone It’s nice I said Really nice Yeah too bad I’m stuck sitting next to you and your ratty school loaner The tip of Jack’s snobby nose was so far in the air it practically pointed at the ceiling lights I hugged my case against my chest There’s nothing wrong with Russell That’s what I named
my trombone after my dad I pretty much only see my dad on holidays since he moved six hours away I’m mad at him but I miss him too So it makes me feel a little closer to him And anyway Russell is like a friend When Dad first left playing my trombone helped me A lot I just wish I had more time to practice like I used to before Mom got a full-time assistant manager job at Willard’s Wash and Dry Laundromat and a part time job at Dottie’s Diner until she finds something that pays more You’re right Jack finally agreed That’d be a great instrument if nobody’d landed on the moon yet It’s so ancient Jack smiled flashing his perfect white teeth We’re talking a whole other century My eyes felt watery but no matter how bad it got I refused to cry in front of Jack Instead I opened my case and took out Russell I was glad when Mr Byrd stepped onto the podium then and had us warm up with a concert 10
B-flat scale I tried to do what I always do I tried to ignore Jack It usually worked But it was harder today I couldn’t ignore his new trombone Even from the corner of my eye it shined in the light It was gorgeous And I knew I’d never have an instrument like that About halfway through class Mr Byrd said Time out and made a T with his hands Do not look at your fingers first-year students They’re not going anywhere He took off his straw hat and fanned himself with it In fact if this is your first year in band let’s chat he said At my desk On the double Kids scrambled up front Everyone else take five Mr Byrd slipped his hat back on his balding head Mr Byrd looked like he was ready to kick back on the sand in his colorful beach umbrella shirt Some kids joke that Mr Byrd dresses like he’s going 11
